User non-volatile memory interface megafunction

Abstract

An interface for a programmable logic device having a non-volatile memory where a portion of the non-volatile memory is user accessible is provided. A megafunction provides the electronic circuit designer with interface protocol options for the user accessible portion of the non-volatile memory block. The circuitry associated with the user selected interface is then programmed into the programmable logic device.

1. A method of generating a user non-volatile memory interface megafunction for a programmable logic device having a user accessible non-volatile memory (“UNVM”), the programmable logic device including a raw UNVM interface for passing signals to and from the user accessible non-volatile memory, the method comprising:
 selecting an interface protocol; 
 specifying zero or more parameter values for the selected interface protocol; 
 generating a user non-volatile memory interface megafunction using the selected interface protocol and the specified parameter values; 
 configuring the programmable logic device as the user non-volatile memory interface using the generated user non-volatile memory interface megafunction; 
 wherein the user non-volatile memory interface passes signals to and from the raw UNVM interface. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the interface protocol is selected from a group comprising one or more of the following: None, Parallel interface, SPI interface, I 2 C interface, 3-wire interface and 3-wire compatible interface. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more parameter values include one or more of the following: memory type, memory configuration, mode, page size, and/or device address. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the memory type is selected from one or more of the following: 2 Kbits or 4 Kbits. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 3  wherein the memory configuration is selected from one or more of the following: 1 Kbits: 64×16, 1 Kbits: 128×8, 2 Kbits: 128×16, 2 Kbits: 256×8 or 4 Kbits: 256×16. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 3  wherein the mode is selected from at least the following: read only or read/write. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 3  wherein the page size is selected from at least the following: 8 bytes, 16 bytes, or 32 bytes. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 3  wherein the device address is a binary number value. 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 1  further comprising compiling an electronic design including instructions specifying the user non-volatile memory interface megafunction to produce instructions for producing an integrated circuit having the user non-volatile memory interface megafunction incorporated therein. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more parameters are specified on a graphical user interface. 
   
   
     11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium on which is stored program instructions for a method of generating a user non-volatile memory interface megafunction for a programmable logic device having a user accessible non-volatile memory (“UNVM”), the programmable logic device including a raw UNVM interface, the method comprising:
 selecting an interface protocol; 
 specifying zero or more parameter values for the selected interface protocol; 
 generating a user non-volatile memory interface megafunction using the selected interface protocol and the specified one or more parameter values; and 
 configuring the programmable logic device as a user non-volatile memory interface using the generated user non-volatile memory interface megafunction. 
 
   
   
     12. A method of providing compilable variations of a user non-volatile memory interface for an electronic device, the user non-volatile memory interface requiring specific settings before it can be compiled to unambiguous circuit blocks, the method comprising:
 receiving a set of option settings containing user-selected settings for the user non-volatile memory interface, the set of option settings being selected from a plurality of sets of option settings wherein each set of option setting corresponds to one of a plurality of interface protocols; 
 generating a compilable variation file specifying the received set of option settings; and 
 using the compilable variation file to generate unambiguous circuit blocks of an electronic device; and 
 configuring the electronic device as the unambiguous circuit blocks using the generated user non-volatile memory interface megafunction; 
 wherein the electronic device includes a user accessible non-volatile memory and a raw UNVM interface for passing signals to and from the user accessible non-volatile memory and wherein the user non-volatile memory interface passes signals to and from the raw UNVM interface.